


The Locust Problem

by Tezca



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963), Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors (movie)
Genre: Crossover, Gen, alternative universe, background Six/Peri, no actual locusts appear in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 09:21:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17784743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tezca/pseuds/Tezca
Summary: They say, in general, not too much happens in a small town. Well, you can always guarantee something will happen whenever the Doctor comes to town.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Aedriane for beta'ing this fic!

This was surprisingly a low key adventure, all things considered; they weren't kidnapped, locked up in a cell, or chased down a million corridors by stubborn natives the very second the Doctor tried to offer help. Instead, Peri found herself sat down on the steps of a rustic cabin in a very small, but pretty town in the Smoky Mountains. It was idyllic and picturesque, reminding her of her aunt and uncle’s place. She watched her boyfriend walk around aimlessly in a circle in the front yard, scanner in hand. 

They had just arrived - almost a hour prior - on the trail of aliens that he caught headed towards Earth. Why they headed to a small dirt town in the middle of nowhere rather than a big city, he wasn’t sure, but it was certainly new. Plus, the ship they followed after didn’t look like a warship. The curly-haired, technicolor-clad Doctor had reasoned that they were simply after a place to live. Earth, however, just wasn’t the right choice for that.

“Forgive me, would you mind telling me what y’all lookin’ for again?” 

A woman came out of the house, and knelt down on the porch with some laundry ready to wash by hand.

Peri turned around to look up at her. She was a young woman with the same colored hair she had, only longer. She shrugged, as she wasn’t entirely sure, beyond something alien.

“Some kind of alien race that landed around here. He’s not even sure what kind, either. That’s all I know. ‘Just hopefully, they aren’t the dangerous’ is all he said.”

“I pray it ain’t any dangerous kind.” She commented as she continued working with the laundry. 

Peri’s curiosity got the better of her. Avie didn’t seem to be fazed, or confused with the notion of someone like the Doctor. She might’ve expected some sorta blowback reaction, at least from someone around here.

“You seem to take all this alien stuff alright enough. I imagine my aunt and uncle might’ve freaked out.” Peri laughed casually.

“Well, I figured it makes a lick o’ sense. I mean, we ain’t the only intelligent beings God created, right?” Avie said as she pondered on it for a second, “It does take a bit to wrap your head around, though.” She admitted.

“Don’t blame you there, ma’am.” Peri sympathized as the Doctor came over their way.

“Drat it all! This scanner is going all over the place. Just when I think I’ve gotten a strong reading one way, it fades away and goes into another.”

“Are you sure them aliens landed here?” Avie asked, “I mean, I reckon I can think of a couple places in Tennessee better than Locust Ridge. There just ain’t much here.”

“Positively! It landed in the woods just that way.” The Doctor pointed to his right, “And though we haven’t seen them yet, my scanners indicate they are around here somewhere.” 

The Doctor and Peri had already gone to the scene of the crime, so to speak, only for him to realize that they landed about 10 minutes after the aliens did. Ample time for the aliens to leave the ship. From there, they had walked back into the TARDIS and landed in town. Of course, they ended up right in the Parton’s front yard.

Peri stood up, “Maybe they’re invisible aliens?”

“Good suggestion, but we can’t rule out visible ones just yet. Maybe they’ve gone somewhere else. Excuse me, ma’am. What else is here?” The Doctor directed his question towards Avie who decided to take a little break and stood up.

“Oh, just the church, school, and some other houses. I would’ve imagined any aliens ain’t wantin’ to be interested in place like this. We’re just poor folk.”

“It all depends on their motive.” The Doctor answered before he noticed a little girl with short blond hair out of the corner of his eye. She stood in the doorway and looked at him, specifically his colorful coat. 

By now, the little girl had just started to feel better enough to get out of bed and finally get out of the house. She had been stuck inside with a cold for the last couple of days, and unfortunately, on the day when they planned to go off on a family camping trip. Avie had elected to stay back with Dolly and get her better, “Wow! I love your coat mister. Mama made one just like it!”

The Doctor was caught off guard a little but his ego didn’t allow him to be speechless for longer then a few seconds. He gave a friendly smile as he faced her. It was always nice to hear compliments about his choice of clothes, especially from children. They tended to be more honest than adults, so this one made his day, “Well, you mother certainly knows good fashion. What’s your name?” 

“Miss Dolly Parton, what’s yours?” 

“You can call me the Doctor, and this is Peri.” The Doctor gestured to Peri, who waved hello and send a friendly smile. It was always nice to meet children here and there on their travels. 

“Nice to meet y’all. You want to see my coat? It’s as pretty as yours!” Dolly beamed up at the Doctor, she clearly looked happy that someone else has the same choice of coat. It wasn’t just her and her family anymore that thought a mismatch of colors in the form of a coat was pretty enough to wear.

“I think I would be delighted! Yes!” The Doctor smiled. He watched her run back into the house before he swiftly turned to Peri, “And this, my dear Perpugilliam Brown, undeniably proves it. You are hereby wrong!” The sheer bombastic declaration was enough to send Avie into silent giggles. It reminded her of how bombastic her own daughter could sound whenever she declared how she was going to be a singer someday in Nashville.

Peri both looked and felt a little confused, “About what?”

“Do you not remember in the first few months of our travels when you stated that no one on Earth would be caught dead wearing a coat such as this?” The Doctor moved his hands up, then down the sides of his coat.

Apparently, the Doctor hadn’t forgotten that, even though she had. Peri rolled her eyes with a sigh before giving him an endeared look, “Doctor, you know the coat grew on me. I don’t hate it, it looks great on you.” She explained with a sweet smile. 

“Oh, I know. I just felt like I had to point out the evidence to the contrary that you once believed.”

“Here it is!” Dolly announced as she bounced outside with her own coat of colors on. The only difference was, of course, that it was made out of squares of different colors rather than long vertical strips. 

“Oh wow!” The Doctor marveled, “That looks fabulous on you, I must say! You said you mother made this?”

“Yep, sewn it with love.”

The Doctor turned to face Avie, “I must compliment you on your skills in sewing. I just bought mine, but I do know enough to make any needed repairs.”

“So, whatch’all doing here?” Dolly asked.

“We are searching for some aliens that landed here. There is a good chance they are harmless and just looking for a place to stay, but they have picked the wrong planet.” The Doctor replied and Dolly looked at her mom confused.

“Aliens exist?” She thought that was only in fiction and whatnot, but it didn’t really matter to her. Anyone nice was a friend to her.

“We ain’t the only ones God created, sweetie.” Avie answered with an assured smile, and just like that Dolly accepted the fact that aliens were a reality.

“So, where did they land their UFO, then?” Dolly asked with rapt childlike curiosity.

“I don’t know how it’ll be an UFO still, since we obviously can identify it, but yes, their spaceship landed around here.” He wasn’t about to make a rude comment about silly terms humans had come up due to their limited to non-existent understanding of extraterrestrials in front of a little girl. 

“Well, I hope they are friendly. We’re a nice welcoming bunch ‘round here.”

“That would make the job easier, but don’t get your expectations up too high. We can still hope, however.” The Doctor replied.

He wanted to be honest, but at the same time, he didn’t want to be harsh. He didn’t want to destroy the innocent view of the world held by a child most of the time.

The scanner in his hand started to flare up, and the Doctor moved a step or two towards the other side of the porch. He pointed the device out in front of him and stopped when the beeping got slight faster, “I think, perhaps, we should head in that direction.”

“That’s towards the church. If y’all want, we can walk y’all over there.” Avie offered, They really had no other plans for that day except do some chores, and frankly, she felt like they were a bit ahead of schedule for the day.

“That would be lovely, ma’am.” The Doctor said with a smile, watching as   
Avie walked down the steps with Dolly on her heels, before he and Peri followed.

“So, are y’all aliens, too?” Dolly looked up at Peri as they walked along the path towards the little group of trees.

“I’m not, but the Doctor is.”

“It’s merely a subjective meaning, Peri. All three of you are aliens to me, for example.” The Doctor pointed out with a smug tint to his voice. He didn’t need to make this more complex, she thought with a mental eye roll.

“Fine. I’m from Earth, like you, but different time.” Peri amended her answered towards the blond girl.

“Cool! So, you travel in time then? That sounds like fun!” Dolly said with wide eyes full of wonder and amazement.

“It is. We go around helping people, not only in time, but space too. Half the time, though, we get chased back into the TARDIS.” Peri laughed lightly. 

It could be an annoyance with those times, but at the same time, deep down, it brought a certain type of excitement she couldn’t get otherwise.

Dolly’s next set of questions was directed at the Doctor, as she only had to run up a bit to catch up to him, “So, where you’re from, mister?”

“Gallifrey.” The Doctor answered with a smile as he looked at her before back on the path ahead of them, “Its many, many lightyears away, in another galaxy.”

“Oh,” Dolly thought on it, taking a few seconds to process the information before she looked back up at him, “What’s a lightyear?”

“Well it’s….do you know what a mile is, Dolly?”

“It’s...distance right?”

“Exactly. It’s one of the ways you Earthlings use to measure how far away a place is. For example, umm, pick a city.”

“Nashville!” 

Avie whispered to Peri to explain a little further, “She wants to be a country singer when she grows up.”

Peri nodded and smiled. She could tell her that her daughter would be famous someday, but she didn’t want to accidentally screw up if she told her something from the future. 

Instead, she just listed to Avie continue, “I have complete faith she will. God gifted her with an angelic voice.” She smiled proudly.

“My aunt and uncle said something similar about my cousin. No offense meant but, I think he needs a lesson or two.” Peri chuckled lightly.

Avie admitted with a reciprocated laugh, “Some do need help.”

They continued with some small talk for a small while before they watched the Doctor. He was ahead of them, still trying to explain the concept of lightyears to a little girl, even when it was obvious he’d already failed. Possibly the second he began to try, as per the norm.

“This is making my head hurt,” Dolly confessed, “Can I ask a question about where you’re from?”

“Oh sure, ask away.”

“Is that what y’all wear on Gallifrey?” Dolly pointed to his coat. He only wished it was true, “I can blend in!”

“Sadly, no. It’s all...boring combination of colors and stuffy monochromatic robes. Trust me, you’ll find it boring within five minutes.” 

“Well, I won’t know for sure unless I go there, mister.” Dolly retorted lightly.

“True enough.” The Doctor conceded with a friendly smile.

“Are the cities there as big as Nashville?”

“Bigger, even!”

“Wow! Do y’all have country music there?”

“We barely even have any music to speak of.” He teased lightly. They did have music of course, but it was all computer based and mathematical. Nothing that would be of interest to the average Earth child, he imagined. 

“The ones we have are trifled, monotonous creations that bring to mind nails on a chalkboard.”

“That don’t sound like a fun place.”

“Be nice, Dolly.” Avie reminded her, but the Doctor quickly dismissed it.

The Doctor looked over his shoulder with a reassured smile, “She’s fine, ma’am. Dolly is right actually. I can think of many, many things I rather do than spend one minute under the corruption of the High Council of the Time Lords.”

By now, they had just made it to the front of small white building. The door to the church was a little more than slightly askew. In fact, it was open wide, as if someone had recently gone in. That definitely raised suspicions, and everybody stopped in their tracks when the Doctor did. Frustratingly, they didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“I knew Daddy done locked the door before he left, so they probably broke in.” Avie piped up with a sigh. A part of her was glad he wasn’t here for this, but at the same time, she wished he was. It always made her feel more secure and at ease if he, or her husband, was around, especially when faced with the unknown externally or internally.

“Could very well be. I’m gonna take a closer look. Why don’t you ladies stay here? These aliens could be dangerous, and if I say run-” 

The Doctor was about to end with a ‘run to the TARDIS without any moment to lose’, but he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head back around to the front and noticed a dull gray, almost black in color humanoid figure with four small white eyes. It was flanked by two others, all had on what resembled a loincloth on.

Dolly looked with amazement and wonder; dang it all they should’ve brought some of her mama’s famous pies to welcome their new visitors, “Wow!”

“Do you know what kind of aliens they are, Doctor?” Peri asked, a little worried, as she looked at the aliens then at him.

“Only enough to say that they aren’t the dangerous kind, but we still need to sort this out.” The Doctor replied before he made to move closer to the aliens. Suddenly, however, after a couple or so steps, the aliens recoiled back the same amount, as if they just came upon the most horrifying thing in the universe. 

They had also moved their arms to shield their eyes. “Stay back!” 

The one in front yelled towards the Doctor, which just confused him. Well all of them, really, but him the most. He hadn’t met this particular species before, so he possibly couldn’t have done anything on accident. He went through his memories and nope, he hadn’t been on any planets inhabited by anyone who looked like the ones before them.

“Why? You have no reason to fear me, for I am the Doctor. We are only here to help you,” The Doctor declared without any hint of modesty.

“Help us?!”

“Yes. See, you-”

“We would believe you if you aren’t already causing us pain, Doctor!” The one in front spat out.

The Doctor made a confused noise, “Wha...what?! Causing you pain? Causing you-” A good part of him felt offended that the aliens had the gall to suggest that his simple existence there was already an affront somehow. 

Clearly, this encounter wasn’t going smoothly. Ok, to be fair, since when had he and Peri’s encounter with other races ever gone smoothly half the time? 

“I am most certainly not doing any of the sort! I am down here while you lot are up there! Something I dearly hope is easy enough for you three to deduce!”

“It’s your insidious coat, it’s blinding us!”

“The colors are too much! It hurts!” One of the others from behind the leader yelled out.

Before the Doctor had a chance to respond, Dolly stomped up with as much offense a nine year old can show and stood defiantly next to the Doctor, “Hey! Y’all take that back right now! He looks beautiful in his coat! It ain’t in..insi...whatever y’all just said! Y’all better apologize!”

The aliens recoiled even further in as Dolly marched up and demanded the apology. The combination of two coats with mismatched colors was too much and the aliens went on the offensive. They opened their mouth as if they housed venomous glands. They probably did, as the Doctor had met enough humanoid aliens that had a supply of poison in them, like a spider or a snake, to know what that entailed.

“Oh dear, run!” The Doctor yelled out as he quickly picked up Dolly and ran out of there with the other two back from where they came. 

Luckily for them, the aliens’ aim was bad, probably because they had covered their eyes, but the Doctor wanted them all to get to safety for obvious reasons. He didn’t hear the usual sizzle sound that accompanied acid so that told him it was weak, or at least didn’t have any effect on Earth. He didn’t want to take any chances, though, especially since the fact he heard one of them tell the others to go after them. The Doctor sped up just enough to take the lead towards the Tardis.

“This ain’t the way y’all treat other people y’all ain’t met before! Y’all keep this up, and I ain’t gonna offer my mama’s famous apple pie, you alien meanies!” Dolly yelled from behind the Doctor’s shoulder, “This ain’t the way people on this here planet react when people are a-trying to welcome strangers to a new place! And they don’t go ‘round insulting other people coats! Y’all still own mister Doctor an apology!”

Peri looked behind her as she ran along, gasping slightly in fright when she noticed that more had caught up to the other three that already was on their tail, “Doctor, more are coming!” She alerted him as she willed her legs to move quicker.

Luckily, the TARDIS wasn’t that far way at this point, and eventually, they all ran inside while the Doctor pulled the doors shut in the nick of time. They could hear the unmistakable sound of the aliens against wood. Given where the TARDIS is, they could’ve ran into the cabin, but with the TARDIS, they had a better chance of protection against any intrusion by said aliens.


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor put Dolly down on her feet as Avie and Peri caught their breath, “That’s the fastest I remember running in a long time.” Avie commented as she sat in the only chair in the console room, “I don’t remember the last time I ran that fast.”

“I can. For me, two days ago.” Peri answered as she leaned against the console, “When you travel with the Doctor, you tend to get used to it, more or less.” She finished with a chuckle.

The Doctor moved around to turn on the viewing screen. There, his face fell in dismay as the aliens had grown in number, practically surrounding them. It was nothing new when it came to travel that involved him and a companion. Still, would it kill the universe to let them have a smoother adventure more than once in a while? It would bloody nice, if you asked him.

“Dang it all, we’re basically trapped in here, now.” Avie said after she had turned around to look out. It was plain to see they were more than outnumbered.

“Technically not so, ma’am. The TARDIS can travel through all space and time.” The Doctor replied as Dolly looked around on the console at all the various buttons, levers, and the screen. 

To her credit, she didn’t go and press any random button like a rambunctious, ill-mannered kid might. Not that the Doctor was afraid of anything, but a part of him felt at ease with her mother here. And if anything was different, he knew Peri was good enough with kids to keep them from the dangerous parts of the TARDIS. Plus, Dolly looked like she had been raised with good manners.

“Wow, you have a cool ship mister! Can I press a button?” 

“Ah, I rather you not Dolly,” The Doctor got down her level and giving her a friendly smile, and spoke with a voice of patience.

“These are very delicate instruments that control many parts of the TARDIS. One press, and something can go out of whack. For example, press a button and uhh, I could very well turn into a cat!” He explained and Dolly giggled, “That wouldn’t do any of us any good, would it?” 

Dolly shook her head, “Not a darn thing.”

The Doctor, however, got an idea and stood up, “But, tell you what, there are a few completely harmless buttons on here, and I’ll let you try out one of them after we’re all finished with this problem, if you still wish.”

“Sure, thanks mister!” She beamed as the Doctor took another look at the screen. The aliens seemed to be biding their time now, as they stood guard around the Tardis as they waited for them to come out.

“So, how are we going to deal with this?” Peri chimed in.

“Unfortunately, as you know, I don’t know too much beyond the basics, so I haven’t gotten the faintest idea. But that’s where libraries come in handy. We simply have to do some research.”

“Alright, I suppose to the TARDIS library, then.” Peri guessed, and the Doctor felt a bit sheepish as he faced her.

“Sadly, I don’t recall anything in my library about our alien friends, my dear Peri.” He gave her a sweet, but apologetic smile before he moved around to the other side of the console, facing Dolly and Avie, “All I know is they are of a race called the Ara. Fancy a trip into time and space, ladies?” 

Dolly’s face lit up like fireworks on the 4th of July, while Avie took a few seconds to fully believe that she and her daughter was awarded with this wonderful opportunity to get a taste of travel outside of Earth. Yeah, objectively, it would be hard to go anywhere else for safety in Locust Ridge with the aliens about, so there was that too.

“I reckon nobody’s gonna believe a word we say if we shared what me and Dolly have been up too after all this.” She laughed casually.

“Probably not, Avie.” The Doctor confirmed as he punched in the coordinates, “I’m taking us all to the library on the planet Kar Charrat, one of the wonders of the universe! Shame it’s not as well known as you would think. It’s not advertised at all.”

“How do enough people know about it to make it a wonder of the universe, then, Doctor?” Peri asked curious.

“Word of mouth, mostly. Even then, it rarely gets any visitors. So, there is a very good chance we may be the only ones there, aside from the librarians.”

Avie stood up before she commented, “Maybe that’s a good thing, in a way. Not a lot of people.”

“That is a good point.” 

The Doctor soon landed the TARDIS at their destination and walked over to open the doors. They had just landed outside, and they stood in front of a big grand building that gave off the impression that it was very well maintained. Inside, it was all dark wood and colors. It gave off an academic, but futuristic vibe. 

The librarians bid hello to the small group as the Doctor led the three over to the entrance of the vast hallway opposite the entrance that contained shelves upon shelves of books. 

One of the workers walked up to them, “There are many more books this way. If you’re looking for a book for your daughter, we recommend the ones in the room down this way at the end of this corridor. They are more child-friendly.” The worker stated as he gestured down the adjacent hallway.

“Thank you, sir,” He smiled in thanks as he watched the worker walk away.

It only took a second for the Doctor to key on the word daughter, thus his smile turned into that of a confused look as he suddenly turned to the other three, “Wait, daughter?!” He exclaimed with exaggerated disbelief in his voice. 

How dare that idiotic librarian imply that he looked old. He may be centuries old but he takes pride of how youthful he was for his age in the looks department. 

“Most likely, he thought Dolly was your kid,” Peri pointed out with a light giggle and Avie nodded in agreement.   
If the guy referred to either Avie or herself then he probably should get his vision checked. The group walked into the hallway over to one side of the room.

“We do look kinda alike, mister. You have the blondest hair I know next to my papa!” Dolly exclaimed with a smile. The Doctor reluctantly conceded her point.  
_______________________________

Avie ended up with the Doctor to help find a book in the reference section. Peri had volunteered to take Dolly and see if there were any books more her speed here, as per her request. A kid Dolly’s age was sure to get bored quickly. What child would want to sit around and look at stuffy old books while the adults are busy searching? And this decision was made easier due to the fact the TARDIS’ translation range meant that anything written down can be understood by the person as well. It wasn’t limited to just spoken languages, which explained why everything beyond Earth appeared in English.

The Doctor was currently up on a ladder on the seventh shelf of books. He reached out to grab one he hasn’t looked at yet, “You find anything yet, Avie?” The Doctor asked, not having had much luck so far. Why did this species have to be one of the lesser known ones?

“Not yet, Doctor. I’m amazed these books are in English,” Avie commented while she opened up yet another book to quickly skim through. 

She eventually closed it as it was about aliens through “Me” to “Mg”. The one they were looking for was for an alien species name that started with the letter A, “I would’ve done guessed it wasn’t. I mean, don’t we humans already have about a million or whatever languages?”

“Good observation, ma’am. Earthlings certainly do, and I can even speak several native to your planet, including one or two extinct languages. I would expound more on the details, but we’re already on short time, considering the aliens are still back at your little community. So, I’ll simply say you can thank the TARDIS for that.” The Doctor replied as he looked at her before back at the book in his hands.

Silence passed comfortably for the next few minutes. The Doctor ran his fingers over the spines of several books before he pulled out another one and opened it. A couple of seconds later, an audible frustrated sigh rang through the air.

“And they say this library has books from every civilized planet out there!” He quipped. With a huff, he jumped down to the ground and started to browse on the same side Avie was at.

“I can’t be wrong, there has to be something that can help us!” The Doctor lamented.

“Maybe those alien we’re fightin’ ain’t considered civilized enough?” Avie suggested. It was a guess good as any.

The Doctor didn’t break a beat in the conversation as he walked around to the other side of the row, “No, they are, certainly enough to be able to travel through space. Their planet just probably not as well known as I had hoped.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” Avie mentioned. 

She put the book she had back and walked over to the end. She didn’t really knew where to look next, right now. She caught another look at the Doctor’s coat, “I have to say, I like your coat Doctor,” Avie complimented. 

She decided to go across to the other row of books behind him.

He did a double take and looked at her. It admittedly took a minute to compile the information. Usually whenever his coat was mentioned, it was in the form of an insult, followed by laughter.

“You do? Well, thank you, Miss Parton,” He smiled and turned back around to search through another ancient book, “Unfortunately, you are part of a rare breed that truly understand fashion while not giving even one iota of a worry about appearances. Most of the universe only seem to care whether or not they look good compared to what their society says looks good. Sure some may seem to deviate a little, but then you realize they are merely following along to a socially acceptable subculture.”

Avie nodded. She felt like she got enough of a gist of what he said. In other words, people tend to care too much about how they look in public, “Hmm, people like to get up in another’s business in general, too,” She stated with an annoyed huff. 

The memory of the town’s three gossiping ladies briefly made itself known. She and her husband had the displeasure of overhearing shit said about their family a while back, “Anyways, whoever done made that coat of yours did a great job sewing it.”

The Doctor took a glance at his coat and admired the workmanship. He agreed, “I rather think so, too. I bought this on a distance planet renowned for their high quality coats in that little part of the galaxy. It was a small store, if I remember right. The lady working there was the one that made it. It was the last one too.” He explained while he looked through the pages. 

A second later, he suddenly got a bright smile. Their search was over, “I do believe I have found it, Avie!” He exclaimed as he moved over to show her the page. He pointed, “There, the solution to defeating the aliens. Sensory overload.”

“Meaning what?”

The Doctor closed the book and had a bright smile, “Meaning the way their optic nerves are built, they are more sensitive to a cacophonic mix of different colors. They can’t process it as well as most other species in the universe. Prolonged exposure to something akin to, say, my coat, will only serve to give them a dreadful headache.”  
______________________

Peri stared at the Doctor with her patented annoyed look, “You’re telling me this,” She gestured at her very neon pink top and shorts with a blue belt, “....isn’t eye blindingly enough to drive out the aliens?” She asked as if she wanted to challenge him.

Peri has changed earlier into an outfit she had since regretted wearing. It was through a sense of reluctance, but she reminded herself it was for the greater good. She could survive being in this outfit again, temporarily.

The Doctor was concise and to the point, as usual.

“Nope. It needs to be an eclectic mix of colors. The more bright and clashing, the better!” He, Peri and their new friends were in the wardrobe room currently. The Doctor grabbed a coat and looked at it with satisfaction. He thrusted the coat at her, “Ah, this will do, dear Perpugilliam.”

Amazingly and with quick notice Peri caught the coat. It looked almost exactly like the Doctor’s coat, except there was a bit more purple and less yellow. Avie raised an curious eyebrow at the name, “Perpugilliam? I’d best be honest, I haven’t heard a name like that before.”

“My parents were the hippie type. Been going by Peri for a long time. Easier to spell.”

Avie had looked back at the mirror after a chuckle. She had on an equally eclectic coat of colors. Only it was all in squares, “I bet,” She sighed causally, “I still feel like I’m missing something. I’m not sure this is clashing enough with the blue dress I have on.”

The Doctor strode up next to her and took a look, “I do believe you look just fine enough for this. However, I do think something small can be added to help this ensemble be more effective,” He suggested as he moved to rummage through a pile of discarded scarves and cravats near the mirror. He found an appropriately rainbow colored one and helped tied it around Avie’s neck.

Meanwhile, Dolly stepped into view from behind one of the racks of clothes. She stood in plain view of everyone with an air of confidence, “I’m ready!”  
She declared with her hands on her hips. 

She had found some kid size pants that were bright yellow with blindingly red stripes. She kept on the dress and coat she had otherwise. 

The group made their way out of the TARDIS, back in front of the wooden house. It was simultaneously a sense of relief and panic to find the police box was not surrounded anymore. The Doctor looked around for a moment before he looked at the ladies that stood before him. He clasped his hands together.

“Alright, the plan is we drive the aliens back to their ship over there,” He pointed to his left. There was a moment of respite, then he sighed a little exasperatedly.

“We just have to find them again.”


	3. Chapter 3

It didn’t take them too long to round up the belligerent aliens, surprisingly. Before long, the aliens walked up the ramp of their spaceship in the woods, surrounded by the multicolored clad group. They watched as the aliens walked up the ramp to their ship. Dolly was at the front next to the Doctor, demanding an apology to be made to whom she considered a new friend.

The Doctor admired her childlike determination to right what she saw as rude behavior from earlier. Dolly still yelled, even as the ship lifted off the ground and took off into space.

“Hey, you meanies still haven’t apologized! You better come back out and apologize right now, you...you...meanieheads!”

There is one of the reasons why he enjoyed being around children. Honest, innocent, and they tended to have more of an optimistic, less jaded worldview then most of the adults out there.

Dolly watched the ship fly out of sight with childlike dismay. She turned around towards the Doctor and exclaimed with a stomp of her foot, “They should’ve dang said they was sorry!”

The Doctor put on a gentle smile and got down on one knee in front of Dolly. He wasn’t sure, for a brief second or two, of the right words to explain to a young girl. He wanted to be honest, but at the same time, he didn’t want to complete crush her spirit.

“You know, in honesty, I would very much appreciate an apology. Alas, there are many folks out there in space, even among your kind, that has forgotten the simple rules of being kind and civil toward one another.”  
____________________________________

Avie and Dolly had invited the two over to their house for some pie as thanks. The Doctor readily took up the offer; he would, of course, Peri affectionately thought. In truth, she could go for something sweet right about now, too; and come on, it was apple pie. Who would turn that down?

About an hour later, all four were in the process of saying goodbye. Peri and the Doctor stood in front of the TARDIS while Dolly stood next to her mom. Avie was very grateful for the duo’s part in ridding the town of the aliens.

“Thank y’all both again very much, for everything you did,” Avie exclaimed with a bright and friendly grin, “It was very nice to meet y’all!”

Peri smiled back, “It was nice to meet you guys, too. Aside from the whole...invasion thing, it was nice to see this part of the South again.”

“Oh, I know what you mean. Very pretty up here ain’t it?” Avie said with a friendly smile.

Peri nodded in agreement as Dolly happily gave the Doctor and Peri a goodbye hug.

“It was real nice to meet you, mister, and you too, miss. I’ll remember this day as long as I live, even when I become a famous country star in Nashville when I grow up!” Dolly boldly declared with a very sure smile.

The Doctor chuckled and gave off a bright smile, “I have no doubt you will, miss Dolly. Just remember this: achieve those dreams of yours however you want, whether people like it, or not.”

Dolly nodded with a bright and determined smile, “I will!”

The Doctor turned around to face Avie, “Thank you both immensely for the help you and your daughter had given Tt would’ve been a most difficult task if Peri and I had to do it ourselves, and thank you for the most delicious pie I’ve had in a long while,” The Doctor said with a bit of added flourish in his voice.

Avie felt her cheeks heat up slightly with flattery, she smiled, “Oh, it was nothing. Folks around here are happy to help one another, alien or not.”

“That’s always wonderful to hear,” The Doctor reciprocated the smile before he suddenly had a thought, “Oh! I should give you something as a token of my gratitude and appreciation!”

“Oh you don’t really have to do that-” 

“But I insist! Wait here for a moment, please.” The Doctor bounced off into the TARDIS.

Not more than a few seconds passed by before he emerged with a folded coat in his hands. It was a multicolored coat that appeared to match the one he had on. He held it out in front of Avie with a smile on his face.

“Here, I truly believe you are among the rare people that would very much appreciate a gift such as this. A fashionable coat like that needs more than one person to wear it proudly.”

Avie looked at the coat in his hands than up at him, completely in pleasant surprise. She felt like he really didn’t have to give her anything, especially something that looked like could be a spare coat of his. She unfolded the jacked and gave it a look over. It was beautiful, just like the one he had on. She felt rightly moved by this kind gesture.

She looked up towards the Doctor, “Are you...are you sure Doctor?” 

The Doctor reassured her with a kind and sincere smile, “I am quite sure, Avie. It would do me good to know one of those coats of mine is in loving hands.” 

Avie smiled back in gratitude and decided to go ahead and try it on. The coat was a little big on her, but it felt very nice and warm all the same. Would be perfect to wear in the winter.

‘Wow, you look very pretty, mama!” Dolly complimented.

“Oh, thank you kindly, Doc, It looks just wonderful!”

“You are very welcome, ma’am.”

A second later she realized something that slightly discerned her, “Only problem is, I have to come up with somethin’ to explain how I done got this coat to my husband and other kids. I’ll just say we went out shopping.” 

It wasn’t that big of a deal, and she felt like her husband and everyone else will buy it.

Dolly’s face lit up with the idea, “That’s a great idea, Mama!”

“Indeed, I say that would work well enough,” The Doctor agreed with a smile.

The Doctor proceeded to lead Peri back into the TARDIS as one more round of goodbyes was commenced.

“Bye! I hope we can meet again!” Dolly yelled after as the doors closed, and TARDIS dematerialized into thin air.


End file.
